


Shield of God

by Milk_Of_Arsinoe_The_Awesome



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 04, Alternate Season/Series 05, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Canonical Character Death, F/M, I haven't decided yet okay, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Secret Relationship, That might change but probably not, The MCD is Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-21 14:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11946408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milk_Of_Arsinoe_The_Awesome/pseuds/Milk_Of_Arsinoe_The_Awesome
Summary: Not all the Angels were Chuck's children. One was the son of Michael and Lucifer, created from their Graces as the brothers-yet-secret-lovers fused bits of their Grace together to form a child, made of themselves. But then Lucifer Fell. With his release looming, who will his son side with? Michael or Lucifer? Or does he have his own plan?





	1. Prologue

It was a long while before Lucifer was truly corrupted by the Mark that God, his Father, had commanded his favourite son—his Morning Star—to bear. Lucifer was initially proud that he was trusted to wear the Mark that kept his Aunt from obliterating all of existence, all the Creations that his Father would go on to form.

It was many millennia before the strongest Archangel—strongest mentally—truly started to feel the effects. The Mark urging Samael—as he was called then—to slaughter. To destroy the new Creations his father was off making. They were his siblings, but they were not. His siblings were Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. The ones that he didn't want to hurt.

These weaker Angels he had no such qualms about. Still, he resisted the urge to give into the urge to destroy, to kill those his Father willed for him to call Brothers. Though, the Mark started to change him regardless. Michael and Raphael got the brunt of the bloodthirsty craze, the punches, the insults, the pain. He wouldn't kill or maim a brother, though.

He would never give into his own Darkness. He was the favourite Son. He would make his father proud. He had too. It wasn't just his father, though. Michael remained attentive at his younger brother's side through the worst of the mood swings, of the aggression. Samael owed his brother—his lover—everything. For he surely would have broken by now had it not been for his elder brother or Gabriel.

Then was the day that Michael had wondered, had grown curious. If God was their Creator, but also their Father, didn't that mean that any angel could be a Father if they were a Creator? If he and Lucifer could each fuse a portion of their Grace together they could theoretically make an Angel who was different. Not God's child, but their own. Yet, Michael and Samael named their son "Shield of God" in hopes that he would have His mercy. They were both afraid that He may have not wanted a child from their union. If his name implied that he would be meant for a Garrison, he may be accepted.

And for a while, the family of three was happy.

God had warned Michael that one day, if that happens, he might have to kill his brother. The name was meant as a warning. If Samael Fell, Michael would Fall beside him.

It wasn't what happened.

When God created the Soul, took his Four eldest and strongest children by the hand and ordered them to love The Humans more than Himself, Lucifer felt betrayed. His father, who had given him a Mark that was slowly corrupting mind, now wanted him to bow down to Humanity instead of Him. What was Humanity even? An imperfect mess of emotions that died as soon as he blinked. They weren't special. God was Special.

But God didn't love him anymore.

And neither did Michael, who was on his knees, Raphael and Gabriel following. Lucifer glared at his father. "No." He said.

His brothers looked up at him, stunned. "Samael." Michael pleaded. Their son—born just after the last of God's Angels, Samandriel—was off with one of God's creations, Balthazar. He wasn't present for what followed.

Lucifer would always be grateful that his Son was not present for his Fall.

"I refuse to bow before such inferior beings." Lucifer said. "They'll betray you. And you're asking me to love them. Am I not enough for you, Father?"

Raphael and Gabriel watched on, fear in their Hearts. Michael looked up at his brother and lover, the Second Father of his Beloved child. God watched Samael warily. "The humans are made in My own image."

"Then it is you, Father, who is Flawed." Lucifer spat. "I will not bow down to these flawed abortions!"

Michael stood then and attempted to reason with Samael, only to end up with his Brother's fist against his jaw. Raphael punched Samael in return. Gabriel's eyes filled with horror as he watched his three brothers begin fighting amongst themselves, Michael and Raphael against his favourite brother.

Michael pulled himself out of the fray and turned away. He knew it wasn't his Lucifer doing this, but the Mark. Yet, he was angered. And concerned, now that he had seen the first of likely many times that his younger brother give into the anger and hatred that it would cause.

He tricked the Angel, Gadreel, into letting him set evil onto the Garden—and felt no shame when Gadreel was imprisoned for stupidity. He manipulated Azazel, Asmodel, Ramiel, Dagon into Falling, into becoming Demons. Princes. He manipulated Adam's first wife, God's creation—Lilith, she was called—and twisted her precious soul, corrupted it. It was as Dark as his Grace had become, would become.

Frankly, Samael—Lucifer—found the Demons more repulsive then the new humans. Corrupted versions of something already corrupt. Once he managed to rid the Earth of his father's new Creation, managed to convince the Angels and his Brothers that his way was still righteous, Lilith, the Princes, and whoever else managed to become so corrupt were next on his list. Abominations, all of them. Created from Anger, from the Mark's influence.

Michael disallowed him from seeing their son. And when he tried to get his brother to see his way, that these humans were not worth it, Michael turned away from him, declared him Fallen, banished him from Heaven. It hurt more than he expected it to.

He attempted to twist his own Vessel, Abel, into taking on the Mark. Or at least making him another Demon, like The older brother, meant to be of Michael's bloodline, deciding to sacrifice his own eternity and his brother's life so his brother wouldn't be condemned now that Lucifer had spoken to Abel.

Cain now wore the Mark. Lucifer was free.

It was too late.

Gabriel was missing, Raphael hated him, Michael wouldn't speak to him now. His child would be manipulated into hating him. The other Angels refused to speak with him other than the four he had managed to twist into demons. God had fled after Lucifer had rebelled, the bastard. His last orders were for Michael to throw Samael—Lucifer—into a Cage, held together by 66 Seals. Only when the last seal breaks will he escape.

That was only if Michael caught him before he caught Michael.

Lucifer needed an army. He picked out humans for the now-Demon Cain to make a Knight of Hell. He twisted another Human Soul into a Demon, this one named Alastair. He encouraged the few angels who he convinced to his side to attempt to create Nephilim, despite the face that God had forbidden it, expressedly forbid it. It was one of his few actual orders. Lucifer didn't care for the Nephilim, either. He had no love for them and the inability to control their powers reminded him too much of himself. They were simply a means to an end.

He was bitter too. His own child wasn't allowed near him thanks to Michael and Raphael. Supposedly, he was being watched by another Angel, too young to join in the war. It could be true. He was different than the other Angels. God was stronger and His creations had popped into existence already grown. Lucifer and Michael had to strain ro make a child formed from their Grace. He had to mature.

He would spare the Angels, at least those that survived the bloodshed that he'd have to cause. He'd spare his son. He'd spare Gabriel. Raphael and Michael, too, if they'd just stand down. But once he won, he'd wipe out humanity, then the abominations, the Demons and the Nephilim.

He didn't win, though. Michael struck him down, his face impassive. Lucifer thought that maybe he could see regret and uncertainty in his eyes as Michael forced him into imprisonment, forever sealed until one day, he knew, the Righteous Man would break the Seal. And Lucifer's True Vessel, a very special child indeed, would break the last. It was only a matter of time.


	2. No Rest For The Wicked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains actual dialogue from the show, so courtesy rules require me to claim it isn't mine. You knew that, though.

Lucifer considered a bit ironic that the Cage's physical location, his only real connection to the outside world, was located inside of covenant. Well, whatever. Azazel, the dumbass, was now talking to him, wanting to know how to get him out of the Cage.

He wanted his revenge on Michael, for favouring Father's Will over Lucifer, for blaming Lucifer for what the Mark did to him, for taking his son away. Well, his son was probably some mindless drone now. He probably didn't remember him either.

Could Lucifer really kill Michael? Or his son? He didn't think he could. He wanted revenge on his Father, on Michael, but death? Maybe if Michael decided to face him on the battlefield, whenever and wherever that would be.

Lucifer knew from Angel radio that the Angels had recently ordered the cupids to start working on making John Winchester and Mary Campbell fall in love. This wouldn't be of interest if it wasn't for the fact that Lucifer knew his bloodline, the bloodline of Abel, incredibly well, just as well as he knew Michael's, the descendants of Cain's.

Huh, so Michael wanted to kill him, and he wanted to kill him early. Well, two could play at that game. He started to speak to Azazel, giving the Prince of Hell specific orders. "Lilith." He said. He knew that the First Demon's life was the last Seal. And he knew that she was trapped inside a Devil's Gate courtesy the Angels in his head.

Lucifer wasn't sure why he could still hear the Angels. He suspected Michael had something to do with it, but he wasn't sure why.

"Lilith? Father, she's... trapped neck-deep in the pit. It won't be easy." Azazel reminded him, as if he'd somehow forgotten. He knew of the Devil's Gate. And he knew that no Demon could enter. But he had a plan.

If no Demon could enter, they'd have to convince a Human to do so. Which led to the perfect idea of how to kill two birds with one stone. Demon blood.

"Lilith. Lilith can break the seals." Lucifer told him. Lilith's death was the last Seal. And the abomination would sacrifice herself for him without hesitation. All he needed to do was get his Vessel started on the demon blood and manipulate him into drinking more until he was strong enough to both kill Lilith in the church, her blood opening the Cage. But also so Lucifer could possess him immediately.

However, he needed a way to break the first Seal. That could only be broken by one person, the Vessel's brother who would be obedient to his Father. He needed the Father to sell his Soul and the son to see that as a precedent.

And hey! He'd even speed up the apocalypse more! The son—Michael's Sword—would only get a year, no less, not the standard ten that the Demons had started up as a tradition. Or something. He'd make sure of that.

Lucifer wondered how he knew what any of the Seals were. Michael should be keeping that information from him so the Demons couldn't open it. It was just more evidence that Michael was desperately wanting to kill him, eventually. Now he had the evidence. Ha, maybe Michael would make their child watch. Maybe the child—not even grown when Lucifer had Fallen—would cheer Michael on.

There technically wore more than 66 Seals—several thousand; any of them could count to the 66 needed—but the first and last must be opened by the Vessels. His plan was intact. As long as Azazel didn't do something stupid to mess it up.

Speaking of which. "Yeah, okay. But what do I do?" Lucifer rolled his eyes from the Cage. Why couldn't he have turned some other Angels into Princes rather than this idiot. Like Zachariah or Balthazar or Uriel. Someone smart. He missed Gabriel. His brother took after him a lot in the clever department. He wondered where he went.

"You must find me a child. A very special child." Lucifer replied.

"What do you mean?" Azazel asked back. Lucifer was starting to impatient with him. "What child?" Lucifer sighed and explained the plan. It was complex and complicated, but it would work. If the oldest was anything like Michael and the youngest anything like him…

Ten years later, he felt his True Vessel slip into the world. He'd felt Dean's existence as well, an aching in his heart when he thought of Michael, but frankly he could care less about Dean, Michael's Vessel. Dean would just be Michael's face when he got his revenge.

Or when Michael killed him, like their Father had told him to. Whatever. Lucifer could care less about the damn plan at this point. He just wanted out and Samuel was the key, the means to an end. That said, when he did let him out, Lucifer would give him a reward as soon as they were made whole.

Lucifer could feel when his Vessel died too, every time. He died a few times, but for some reason the Angels always brought him back almost immediately. They knew how important this was. Now Lucifer knew for sure that the Angels were wanting the War to start again. This time was different, like they were waiting for something.

He knew what they were waiting for.

The brother's Deal.

Well, he'll give them what they want.

All the Demons knew that this part was important. They had to carefully trick Dean into negotiating himself down to one year from the ten that had become traditional.

Then the fun could begin. Lilith would send a Demon to manipulate the Winchesters into doing what they were supposed to—the Elder to kickstart the Apocalypse and the Younger to set him free—by getting him addicted to Demon blood. To avenge his brother.

And Lucifer knew that he was Ruthless when it came to revenge because so was Lucifer.

This plan would work.

Sure, Azazel was killed but Lucifer hated him so that didn't matter. Irrelevant. All that mattered was Michael's Precious Vessel getting his hands dirty.

Lucifer could feel his Vessel's pain when Dean was killed by Hellhounds on Lilith's command. Right in front of him. As the plan stated. They needed this scene to be as emotional, as brutal as possible for the Vessel so that he would kill Lilith without mercy. She even did from the body of the "good" demon that they'd encountered just to make in more gut wrenching.

Meanwhile, Michael waited for a cue from Alastair that his Sword, his Vessel was close to breaking, to shedding blood, before sending down the Garrison. He couldn't send them down too early because the plan would fail, despite all his meticulous planning with The Shield that he not be rescued under after the Seal is broken. Another Angel would find their way to the soul, too early.

He couldn't too late either. If he waited once the Seal was broken the lower Angels of the Garrison would revolt, they'd realise that his Plan, the Raphael's Plan, that Father's Plan— was to free Lucifer, start the Apocalypse. The lower angels wanted Humanity to live.

Michael was indifferent towards Humanity. Honestly, he just wanted to finish what he'd started all those eons ago. Lucifer had removed the Mark, but he was still too corrupted to come home. He'd made those Demons, he'd corrupted a son of Adam and forced him to kill another.

Michael found it interesting that Seth was born in Abel's place. Like John Winchester's other son, Adam. A third son, a replacement. When Michael met Dean when he time travelled once he had decided that a Plan B was in order. Dean seemed certain that he'd never say yes. Michael almost believed him, or at least was convinced enough that they'd need a "just in case."

That Kate Milligan—who happened to be of Raphael's bloodline and able to house an Archangel—and John Winchester would lay together was not a certainty. That Kate would conceive and that John would father another boy was a gamble—it had to be a son according to the Prophet. Michael didn't know why he wasn't allowed to possess a female.

In the end all Michael had done was point John in the direction of the ghouls and make sure that he interacted with Kate. That John left the other Ghouls who now wanted revenge was just a bonus. If Adam was killed, all Michael would have to do was have him resurrected and he'd be grateful, but only if came to that.

If he wasn't… Well, Michael would just keep him around. He reminded him a lot of Raphael before he went bloodthirsty. Michael wondered absently what would happen if John conceived a child when someone of Gabriel's bloodline.

Adam and Eve only had three sons, though. Two daughters, though neither had separate bloodlines from the son's they married. Gabriel's bloodline didn't exist, technically. It was more like the Angels. He did have a Bloodline and True Vessel, but he could possess any Vessel permanently without unintentional damage to the Host.

Maybe that was why the Youngest of the Archangels was the only one with the power to create a Vessel unattached by a Soul.

Michael's son had a specific bloodline. The elder of the two alive even looked a bit like John Winchester when he was younger. When Michael had possessed him to save the Winchester family, both the Present and Future.

Michael glanced at his Son, the Shield of God. He was a Garrison Leader now. That had been given to him by his own right, too. He'd deserved it.

"Remember, save the Winchester boy after he breaks the Seal. If you get down there before the Seal breaks leave him there until he says yes. Make him trust you. Trick him into thinking you've fallen or something at some point. He'll say yes if he believes that he's doing the right thing. It's no different than what that demon whore is doing with the other Vessel, only you won't be turning him into an abomination."

"He's drinking... Demon blood?' Michael's son wrinkled his nose.

"Yes. It's… disturbing. I don't understand why your other father must take it in to sustain his Vessel, but she's preparing Samuel for that. You'll be preparing both boys into playing their roles."

"I'll make you proud, Father." The Angel replied.

"I know you will, Castiel." He responded, a true smile now on one of his faces.


	3. Lazarus Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter covers Lazarus Rising (4.1) and parts of The Rapture (4.20). Lines directly from the show are used. Castiel is also out of character on purpose in this. He's not really the same Cas from canon though the dialogue used is no different from canon. For now.

Castiel burnt his own wings slightly thanks to the Furnaces of Hell on his quest to rescue the Righteous Man, Michael's Sword—from Hell. The rest of the Garrison was behind him. A few had been killed, burned to a crisp by the Flames. He grieved his aunts and uncles, but carried on.

He was surprised when he found the soul, still bright even when it was torturing others who were unfortunate enough to be on the rack. That said, some of the souls on the rack deserved to be on it, but some didn't. It should be disturbing, Michael's Vessel corrupted by Hell.

It wasn't. It was just pitiful. Well, since the Soul—Dean Winchester, his mind supplied—had already broken the Seal—ten years ago, by Hell's standards; one month by humanity's—there was no reason to watch him be twisted into something Dark anymore.

Alastair could sense that part of Castiel's Grace was also Lucifer's and as the last Demon that Lucifer himself had personally created, Alastair knew that Lucifer had a son. Alastair was not likely to fight the saviour of the Soul if the saviour belonged to Lucifer. It was partially this reason that Michael had chosen the Angel to save and Guide the Vessel and the Abomination, the demon blood drinking brother.

He grabbed the Soul—distracted by the Soul's bright glow despite all the Darkness around it, he grabbed it too hard—and took off. He'd been training his own Vessel, James "Jimmy" Novak to say yes. He wasn't completely ready yet. Castiel wanted to make sure he was prepared for what he was saying "yes" to, exactly.

He wouldn't be at the mindset Castiel wanted him to be by the time he was done mending Dean's body. But that was no matter. Dean was his father's true Vessel. The Angel figured he could both handle his true Voice. He'd even speak in English and not Enochian!

Putting Dean back into his body had a worse ripple effect than he thought it would. After spending roughly a day and a half healing it, apparently he'd caused some kind of power surge doing the resurrection. That could be a problem.

He left Dean in his coffin, making sure to let the Hunter have a lighter and a way to get out. The soil wasn't unbearable to crawl through. He would contact him later. He understood that waking up after one has been through forty years of Hell would be disorienting.

Now was not the time to overwhelm him. He'd wait a few hours.

When the Vessel entered the gas station, Castiel watched him for a few minutes before trying to introduce himself, to explain why he needed to save him-he'd omit a few details of course. However, the Vessel didn't seem to comprehend him. He even covered his ears. How rude.

And then Dean had to use the accidental mark on his Soul to confront him, using a psychic. Castiel tried to warn her, multiple times. It wouldn't do well for him to permanent blind someone, particularly when he needed to make a good first impression to eventually get a 'yes' out of the pair of brothers.

Though, frankly, Michael's plans were not his either.

His father didn't need to know that.

Castiel tried again, this time in a hotel. Dean had his name now, maybe he'd understand this time. If it didn't work, then fine. He had Jimmy now, judging from the prayer that he had just received. He'd just go retrieve him. It would be fine.

He muttered the words to Jimmy as he materialised at the Novak household. "Yes, I understand. Promise my family will be okay and I'll do it . . ." Castiel figured that he could do that; keep an eye on Amelia and Claire for a few years. Or at least try. If he got too caught up in other stuff, that wasn't his fault. "Then, yes." Castiel took over his vessel. His own True Vessel.

At the same time, he could feel himself being summoned. He studied the human body for a few second, trying to ignore the call. The last time he'd taken a Vessel had been to help Ishim kill that Nephilim and Rouge Angel, back when he was with his former Garrison.

He was about to answer the call when he felt the presence of Jimmy's child. "Daddy?" Claire asks, confusion in her voice.

Castiel wished he could explain more. He'd spent time observing humanity from Heaven and new how malleable and impressionable young children were. But he's in a hurry. The summoning was from a human. It had to be Dean. No one else had forced him to give a name recently. He turned to the girl, to Claire and started at her, cold and unresponsive. He turns back and prepares to leave, leaving her with the words "I am not your father."

He entered the barn that he was being called to, ramping up the dramatics by messing with the lights. While Michael had instructed him to act like a naïve, no-nonsense type—and to exaggerate his social awkwardness—he did want to have at least some fun.

It would likely be the last he'd have in a while if the Vessel's apparent first instinct was to grab a Hunter—surrogate father, his read of Dean's soul supplied—and attempt to kill him with bullets was any indication.

Castiel was both annoyed and amused. Dean, Sam, and this Bobby character were Hunters; they should know better than to assume they could kill him with bullets or rock salt. They evidently had no idea what he was. Why would they summon and attempt to kill him. Why think about killing him at all? He raised Dean from Perdition. He wasn't the one that threw him in there.

"Who are you?" Dean's voice called as the pair circled each other. Castiel noticed that, alive and up close, he was rather handsome… though considering he was clutching a knife in his hand—still bent on killing him, for some reason—Castiel decided not to dwell on that thought.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition." Castiel replied not, not unaware of his word choice. He wasn't as socially unaware about human culture as he would have to lead the Winchesters and Co to believe. He wasn't sure why his father insisted that it was the best way to full them into thinking he was harmless.

Dean didn't look impressed nor interested. "Yeah. Thanks for that." He said as he plunged the knife into his Vessel. Castiel let him do it. He didn't know how else to make Dean stand down, for the Vessel to realise that Castiel was the one with the upper hand.

Castiel pulled the knife out emotionlessly and makes a show of dropping it. It's a demon killing Knife of The Kurds. A good, durable weapon. Useless against angels, though. He's curious where Dean picked it up, though he doesn't have time to ask, judging from the danger he can sense. He grabbed Bobby's gun from behind him and spun the pair around, effortlessly gaining the upper hand as he knocks him unconscious with just two fingers to his forehead.

He turns to the other Hunter, who looks shocked. "We need to talk Dean. Alone." He says sternly.

Dean runs to Bobby's aid, apparently just now realising this was a stupid plan. A read of his memories, he can sense that Dean had been convinced Castiel was some kind of Demon. As if. His father was out of his mind when he made those. He hates the black-eyed nightmares. Granted, Samael—Lucifer—only made the white-eyed demons and the Princes of Hell. Cain chose his fate and the fate of the Knights himself by taking on the Mark.

Dean attempts to check Bobby's pulse. Castiel isn't sure what leads him to assure the elder Winchester that he isn't cruel enough to kill him. It doesn't seem to help anyway. "Who are you?"

"Castiel." He's confused. He knows they know his name, thanks to the psychic—Pamela.

"Yeah, I figured that much, I mean what are you?" Dean's voice is harsh and judging.

"I am an Angel of the Lord." He replies, cold as stone.

"Get the hell out of here. There's no such thing." Dean replies with conviction.

"This is your problem Dean." He replies. "You have no faith." He has no choice. He lets his wings manifest as well as they can on the physical plane, letting more lights flash just for dramatic flair. He doesn't actually have to put on the light show.

But it makes him look Powerful.

As Powerful as Michael or Lucifer.

"Some angel you are. You burned out that poor woman's eyes." Dean replies with a sneer.

Castiel finally has to hold himself back from smiting the Vessel. His fathers would be displeased if he harmed Dean or Samuel. "I warned her not to spy on my true form. It can be... overwhelming to humans, and so can my real voice. But you already knew that." He thinks back to the gas station and the motel. He'd thought for sure that his father's Vessel would be able to hear him—even if Dean didn't have a special sense, half of Castiel's Grace was cut from the same cloth and brand that made Michael's. Dean would most likely be able to hear Michael.

"You mean the gas station and the motel. That was you talking?" Dean was starting to get overwhelmed, but the Angel still nodded in answer. Dean isn't amused by any of this. "Buddy, next time, lower the volume."

"That was my mistake. Certain people, special people, can perceive my true visage. I thought you would be one of them. I was wrong."

"And what visage are you in now, huh? What, holy tax accountant?"

Castiel feels insulted for Jimmy's sake. And also embarrassed. "This… This is a Vessel?"

Dean looks angry again. "You're possessing some poor bastard?" He practically yells.

Castiel replied truthfully. "He's a devout man. He actually prayed for this." It wasn't like he just flew into Jimmy and pulled him away from the wife and child without Jimmy's consent. Angels have standards, rules that must be followed. Rules that no one could break. He wasn't even sure what would happen if an Angel tried to possess someone without an expressed "yes." No one was brave—or stupid—enough to try.

Dean's reply is almost immediate. Castiel isn't even completely sure if he'd heard the Angel's defence. "Well, I'm not buying what you're selling, so who are you really?"

Castiel frowns. Even his wings weren't enough to appease the human. This is not going where he was expecting it to. He'd spent eons at Michael's side and Dean did not act anything like the Archangel. "I told you." He says defensively.

Dean scoffs. "Right. And why would an angel rescue me from Hell?"

Castiel speaks softly. "Good things do happen, Dean."

"Not in my experience."

Castiel cocks his head to the side in confusion and then realisation after a quick read of his soul. He knows what the real problem is. "What's the matter? You don't think you deserve to be saved?"

"Why'd you do it?" Dean asks finally, as the Human can't just take his word for it. He needs a why, what do you want out of this.

Castiel isn't completely honest with him, or at all, so perhaps the Human is smarter than Michael and Raphael and Zachariah and even Castiel gave him credit for. "Because God commanded it. Because we have work for you."


	4. As The Seals Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter Contains dialogue from "Are You There God, It's Me, Dean Winchester" (4.02), "In The Beginning (4.03), and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester" (4.07)

The Rising of the Witnesses is not the Seal Castiel would have chosen to break. By the time the Winchesters manage to end it, nearly two dozen Hunters are dead. It's an imbalance that he doesn't really like. There's so few Hunters—not to mention the short life expectancy and typical lack of romantic commitment the job entails—that it should be troublesome. Someone should be there to lay the spirits in the Veil to rest or kill a nest of vampires.

At any rate, it's not his problem, though Dean seemed to think otherwise.

"You were made hip to all this?" Dean asks. Samuel is sleeping not that far from them.

"I was, uh, made aware." He said, not wanting to face him.

"Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance. You know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest."

"But you didn't." He decides not to tell him that he'd just come back anyway. He doubts that Dean would want to hear that when there was now 20 hunters—many of them Dean knew—who wouldn't.

"I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos - you know, Michael Landon. Not dicks." Castiel wants to smite him for his impudence.

"Read the Bible." Dean's eyebrow shoots up. "Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier."

"Yeah, then why didn't you fight?"

He lies. "I'm not here to perch on your shoulder. We had larger concerns."

"Concerns?" Dean's voice raises and the human has to lower it back down to a whisper-shout so he didn't wake anyone else up. "There were people getting torn to shreds down here! And, by the way, while all this is going on, where the hell is your boss, huh, if there is a God?"

"There's a God." The angel replies, unamused. None of the lower Angels had ever seem him, not even Castiel. But he remembers the effect his leaving had on Michael, on Raphael, on Gabriel. He also knew that Archangels were keeping that little tidbit hush-hush from anyone other than the few trusted Angels.

"I'm not convinced. 'Cause if there's a God, what the hell is he waiting for, huh? Genocide? Monsters roaming the earth? The freaking apocalypse?" Castiel starts to form an idea, but he just puts it aside for later. "At what point does he lift a damn finger and help the poor bastards that are stuck down here?"

He knows it's just a platitude that means nothing, but he hopes it will get the human off his back. "The Lord works…"

"If you say "mysterious ways," so help me, I will kick your ass." Castiel holds his hands up in an innocent gesture, not sure where this conversation would go now. Dean is quiet for a few seconds, thinking hard as he moves closer. "So, Bobby was right... about the witnesses. This is some kind of a... sign of the apocalypse?"

Castiel explains that the Rising of the Wintesses is one of the Seals. "Those seals are being broken by Lilith."

"She did the spell. She rose the witnesses?" Dean asks.

"And not just here. 20 other hunters are dead."

"Of course. She picked victims that the hunters couldn't save so that they would barrel right after us."

Castiel frames his next words carefully."Lilith has a certain sense of humour."

"Well, we put those sprits back to rest."

"It doesn't matter." He says. "The Seal was still broken."

"Why break the Seal anyway?" Dean asks him.

"You think of the seals as locks on a door." Castiel informs him, his heart aching thinking about how lonely Lucifer must have been in the Cage.

"Okay." Dean prods. "Last one opens and…"

"Lucifer walks free." Castiel replies automatically, trying to seem despondent, or at least impassive, rather than happy that the Plan is being followed through. So far, anyway. He wasn't about to let his parents murder each other or turn the world into an apocalyptic nightmare. He loved Humanity.

But he wanted his parents.

"Lucifer?" Dean questions him. "But I thought Lucifer was just a story they told at demon Sunday school. There's no such thing."

Castiel wants to see his reaction when he not-so-politely informs this insignificant human that he's Lucifer's son but Michael would put him in time-out or send him to Naomi. He internally shudders at that idea. Michael's never gone that far with him to take him to reprogramming. Yet.

Castiel prayed to his Grandfather that Michael wouldn't think of that before Lucifer and the General of the Host got back together if—no, when—his plan worked.

"Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me." Castiel says to him. Why is this Hunter so close-minded to the Supernatural! He's a Hunter! The Angel doesn't understand the Vessel's continued disbelief in Angels or Lucifer. "Why do you think we're here walking among you now for the first time in 2,000 years?"

"To stop Lucifer." Dean stated.

He nods. "That's why we've arrived." It's not technically a lie. Michael wanted to stop Lucifer. The Angels wanted to stop Lucifer. Michael just wanted to do it after the Seals break.

"Well... bang-up job so far. Stellar work with the witnesses. That's nice." Castiel doesn't appreciate his sarcasm.

We tried. And there are other battles, other seals. Some we'll win, some we'll lose. This one we lost. Our numbers are not unlimited. Six Angels died in the field this week. You think the armies of Heaven should just follow you around? There's a bigger picture here." He steps closer to him and leans up in what he means to be an intimidating manner. "You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back in."

He's close to doing it too. This human is infuriating, Michael's Sword be damned.

He had more pressing matters to deal with. The Angels who died were evidently being killed by demons, but clearly with Angel blades. Castiel isn't sure where the demons were even getting Angel blades.

One of whom was his close friend, Balthazar. He had been the other Angel's charge, back during the War against Lucifer, when his father was forced to fall. Michael was an emotional mess once Lucifer was imprisoned for a while. It wasn't until Castiel had reached adolescence that he was strong enough to pick up the pieces.

A few days later, Raphael orders him to send Dean into the past, to know about the deal his mother made with Azazel to infect Samuel with demon blood. Castiel isn't completely sure what this will accomplish, exactly. The only change he really made was convincing his dad to buy an Impala. Which is fine. It's a way nicer car than the one that Mary wanted John to buy originally. Castiel wonders absently as he waits for the opportune time to pull him out if he'll ever ride in it. The Winchesters love that car and he wonders what makes it so special.

"I couldn't stop any of it. She still made the deal. She still died in the nursery, didn't she?" Dean asks as he comes to.

"Don't be too hard on yourself." Castiel mutters. "You couldn't have stopped it." And it's true. For the Winchesters' Fates have been preordained since John and Mary first met.

"What?" Dean asks quietly.

"Destiny can't be changed, Dean. All roads lead to the same destination." Castiel tells him quietly. Fate always gets her way, and prophetic Word will never be changed.

Dean is indignant. "Then why'd you send me back?"

"For the truth." Castiel replies. "Now you know everything we do."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Castiel looks at Samuel's untouched bed instead. The Abomination is off with the Demon Whore.

Dean follows his eyes. "Where's Sam?"

"We know what Azazel did to your brother. What we don't know is why – what his endgame is. He went to great lengths to cover that up." Castiel knows that Sam would have to drink demon blood to break the final Seal, to kill that powerful of a Demon. He isn't sure why Azazel had Sam and the other Special Children infected as infants. None of the Angels are, at least those with special clearance. It wouldn't have any effect on the Devil's Gate whether the person opening it with the Colt was completely human.

Dean repeats his question again, louder with more urgency. After a moment of hesitation, Castiel gives up where the abomination was meeting with the Demon.

"Your brother is headed down a dangerous road, Dean, and we're not sure where it leads. So stop it. Or we will." His tone was serious, though frankly he didn't really care what happened to Sam as long he didn't drink so much he became a Demon.

The Angels pretended to pay close attention to the Seals as they break. It's the Sixth Seal that they find trouble. No one wanted this Seal to be one that Lilith or anybody to attempt to break, even accidently. Samhain was ruthless. Still, it was a Seal being broken.

Castiel could feel Sam and Dean's presence in the town—probably investigating the weird deaths as Hunters do—but this was a witches' doing, not Lilith's. A cloaked witch.

"Have Uriel destroy the town." Michael ordered him. Uriel was the Angel who had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. That was also under Michael's orders, though the reasons for purification had nothing to do with homosexuality like the Christians of today believed. Castiel thought it was a shame that today's believers were so willing to believe that. Though, the Bible did get more stuff wrong than it did right, perhaps because of all the monarchies and Popes and translations that edited the material.

Raphael looked at Michael. "No. It would be too noticeable, brother. Tell the Hunters that you'll destroy the town. They're Hunters, stubborn, pathetic creatures. They won't listen. They'll try to stop Samhain from rising. And likely succeed. With a chance that the Seal will still break."

"And what if they allow us to purify the city?" Michael asks.

"Destroy it." Raphael replies. "Samhain cannot rise."

Michael nodded. "It does seem like a good exercise for my Sword. Very well. Tell Uriel that your orders are to do whatever the Winchesters tell you to do. Like one of those simulated games."

Castiel nodded. "Yes, Father."

The two Angels appear in the hotel room that the brothers reside in, though both can sense the hex bag that had been planted inside. The Winchesters wouldn't have found it either. Apparently, the witch realised that it needed to be more careful now that there were Hunters on its trail. They'd hidden it between the walls.

The door opens and though both Castiel and Uriel have their backs turned they can sense it's Samuel. "Who are you!" He calls out. He has a gun pointed to the back of his head.

"Sam! Sam, wait! It's Castiel!" Dean says. "The angel." Castiel isn't sure exactly when the cynic started believing but he's grateful as he feel the gun being lowered. Not that it would have hurt him. Dean seems to notice Uriel's presence as his next words are, "Him, I don't know." Castiel wonders absently why he still needed to bring this assbutt. Zachariah is more amicable and he hates that prick too.

Castiel turns around them. "Hello, Sam." He says, as he'd already deduced that the younger Winchester prefers it to Samuel. Honestly, Castiel can understand that. Several of the Angels call him Cas—or Cassie, but they only do that to ruffle his feathers. He might even prefer Cas to Castiel. He isn't sure.

Sam's face lights up with wonder and awe. "Oh my God – er – uh – I didn't mean to – sorry. It's an honour, really, I – I've heard a lot about you." Castiel is embarrassed for him, mostly because he knows what the Angels—what he himself—thinks of the Abomination, of Lucifer's Vessel.

Sam holds out a hand and Castiel remembers that Michael told him to act as naïve as possible about human society. He stares at the hand for a while before awkwardly reaching out and shaking his hand. He's amazed as he realises that Sam—for now—has listened to his brother about not drinking the demon blood.

Frankly, it's not his fault that Azazel fed him blood as a baby. It's the fact that the Demon—who calle herself Ruby, apparently—had convinced him to drink more that made him a problem to him. Sure, he wanted Lucifer to rise as badly as Michael—for different reasons—but the fact that he was tainting himself and his soul and mind both registered it as the greater good concerned everyone.

"And I you, Sam Winchester. The boy with the demon blood." He notices the way that Sam's smile deflates, as if he expected a different reaction. As if he expected the Angels to like him. He's much like Samael, before the Mark and the Fall. He has the same aura, same kindness, same heart.

That makes the whole thing so much worse.

He wasn't sure if Lucifer would ever be that again, even if the Plan—his, not Michael's—worked out the way it was planned. He studies Sam with a stern expression. "Glad to hear you've ceased your extracurricular activities."

"Let's keep it that way." Uriel says. He still hasn't turned around. Castiel was hoping he'd remain quiet the whole time and not say anything at all. He has to restrain himself from telling the other Angel to shut up. He just knows that Uriel will not get through this conversation without insulting the humans.

Sam and Dean look from Castiel to Uriel. "Yeah, okay, chuckles." Dean turns to Castiel. "Who's your friend."

Castiel changes the subject to more urgent matters. "The raising of Samhain, have you stopped it?"

"Why?"

It's a trait he gets from Samael, the impatience when people need to know the why, the two, the what instead of just letting people explain. "Dean, have you located the witch?"

"Yes, we've located the witch."

"And is the witch dead?"

Sam starts to talk. "No but—"

His brother finishes the sentence, as if he can sense he is the better liked one. "We know who it is."

Castiel walks over to the hex bag that they'd placed on the table and picks it up to show it to them. "Apparently the witch knows who you are too. This was inside the wall of your room. If we hadn't found it, surely one or both of you would be dead. Do you know where the witch is now?"

They look at each other and Dean speaks. "We're working on it."

That wasn't the answer he wanted. "That's unfortunate."

"Why do you care?" Dean asks.

"The raising of Samhain is one of the 66 seals."

Dean is clearly irritated. "So this is about your buddy Lucifer."

Uriel speaks. He's still facing the window and it's annoying. "Lucifer is no friend of ours."

Dean is taken aback. "It's just an expression."

Castiel ignores him. "Lucifer cannot rise. breaking of the seal must be prevented at all costs."

"Okay, great, well now that you're here, why don't you tell us where the witch is, we'll gank her and everybody goes home." Castiel can't fault him for hating the interference of the Angels on their witch hunt.

"We are not omniscient. This witch is very powerful, she's cloaked even our methods."

Sam attempts to play peacemaker. "Okay, well we already know who she is, so if we work together –"

"Enough of this!" Uriel speaks over him.

"Okay, who are you and why should I care?" Dean yells, livid. Uriel finally turns around. He's angry. Castiel knows he needs to diffuse this bomb. He almost regrets listening to his father and uncle when Raphael came up with this plan and Michael agreed.

"This is Uriel, he's what you might call a… specialist."

"What kind of specialist? What are you gonna do?" Dean asks as Uriel moves closer.

"You." He hesitates. "Both of you – you need to leave this town immediately."

"Why?"

"Because we're about to destroy it."

Castiel can sense Dean's anger, Sam's shock. "So this is your plan, you're gonna smite the whole friggin' town?"

"We're out of time. This witch has to die, the seal must be saved."

"There are a thousand people here." Sam exclaims.

"1214." Uriel states matter-of-factly.

Sam looks like he can't believe what he's hearing. "And you're willing to kill them all?"

"This isn't the first time I've… purified a city." Uriel says. Castiel can tell that he can't wait to do it again and prays that the Hunters are the people he thinks they are. Castiel can't stand the other Angel. He hates Uriel and hates that he's been in his Garrison this long.

"Look, I understand this is regrettable." He says.

"Regrettable?" Dean says, disbelief on his face.

"We have to hold the line. Too many seals have broken already."

"So you screw the pooch on some seals and this town has to pay the price?" The Hunter is angry at the Angels. He's glad, relieved.

"It's the lives of one thousand against the lives of six billion. There's a bigger picture here."

Dean scoffs. "Right, cause you're bigger picture kind of guys."

Castiel steps closer, staring the human down. "Lucifer cannot rise. He does and hell rises with him. Is that something that you're willing to risk?" Dean doesn't seem to know what to answer and after a few seconds, licks his lip. Castiel narrows his eyes at him, understanding that move could be construed as arousal. Was he…attracted to his Vessel? He isn't sure to be hopeful, annoyed, or concerned.

Sam breaks the connection. "We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone. Your seal won't be broken and no one has to die." He pleas.

"We're wasting time with these mud monkeys." Uriel says. Castiel wants to run him through with his Angel Blade and starts to turn so that the Hunters can't see the emotion on his face.

"I'm sorry, but we have our orders."

Sam continues to beg. No, you can't do this, you're angels." Castiel glances up, stunned. He didn't understand the human perception of Angels. Uriel chuckles, apparently amused by the pleas from the younger Vessel. "I mean aren't you supposed to – You're supposed to show mercy."

"Says who?" Uriel says, eyes gleaming.

Castiel just wants this conversation to end. It's uncomfortable. "We have no choice."

"Of course you have a choice." Dean seems to be losing his patience. "I mean, come on, what? You've never questioned a crap order, huh? What are you both, just a couple of hammers?"

Castiel grits his teeth at the accusation. "Look, even if you can't understand it, have faith. The Plan is just."

"Oh, it must be nice, to be so sure of yourselves."

"Because it comes from heaven, that makes it just." He says as he turns back to face them again.

"Oh, it must be nice, to be so sure of yourselves." Dean says.

Castiel looks at him. "Tell me something, Dean, when your father gave you an order, didn't you obey?" He knows the Vessels are thinking that he's the Son of God, but he's thinking of Michael. Allowing Dean to decide to save or destroy the town was Raphael's idea, but Michael commanded it. As such, he follows it.

That isn't to say that he doesn't have his own agenda that differs from Michael's. Michael wants Lucifer out to kill him. Castiel isn't certain why it has to be now. Maybe there's a specific day that Lilith had to be killed on or a specific omen that had meant Armageddon. Maybe he was just bitter that his lover left him and decided one day that Death wasn't enough.

Maybe the Cupid was Raphael's doing and Michael just figured it was Doomsday now. He doesn't know. That said, he wasn't going to let either of his parents die.

Even if it meant betraying the beautiful soul in front of him. Speaking of whom, Dean falters as he hears the words. Castiel knows that means he struck a chord. When the Vessel recovers, he speaks confidently. "Well, sorry, boys, looks like the plans have changed." Castiel tries not to smile when the boys fall right into the very plan they're trying to avoid.

Uriel questions Dean. "You think you can stop us."

Dean walks over to him, unafraid. "No, but if you're gonna smite this whole town, then you're gonna have to smite us with it, because we are not leaving. See, you went to the trouble of busting me out of hell. I figure I'm worth something to the man upstairs. So you wanna waste me, go ahead, see how he digs that."

Castiel knows that God is missing, has been since he was small. He left just before Gabriel did. Michael was in charge, aided by Angels like Zachariah, Naomi, Ishim, and Raphael. The Angels can just bring Dean back yet again if he dies.

Not that they were actually going to smite the whole town.

"I will drag you out of here myself." Uriel threatens. Castiel swears he told him the orders.

"Yeah, but you'll have to kill me, then we're back to the same problem. I mean, come on, you're gonna wipe out a whole town for one little witch. Sounds to me like you're compensating for something." The Angel tries not to snort, remembering that Sam can still see his expressions. Dean turns to him. He gets the feeling that he's more liked than Uriel. Good. "We can do this. We will find that witch and we will stop the summoning."

Uriel raises his voice. "Castiel! I will not let these peop–"

He lifts up his hand to silence him. "Enough." Uriel finally shuts up. Is that all he had to say? He turns back to Sam and Dean. "I suggest you move quickly."

The Angels await for the Seal to be broken or saved. He's pretty sure that neither him nor even Uriel honestly care if it is if Samhain is defeated. He has faith in the Hunters though. He is a little surprised by Sam though. He's different, more righteous than he'd expected. Uriel sits down on a park bench. Castiel doesn't really want to sit next to him—Uriel disgusts him.

So he chooses to stand. "The decision's been made."

Uriel laughs. It sounds almost forced. "By a mud monkey."

"You shouldn't call them that."

"Ah, it's what they are, savages, just plumbing on two legs."

"You're close to blasphemy." He's disgusted.

The Seal breaks—like everyone expected—and the Hunters stop Samhain. It's the methods that worry the Angels. Castiel groan when he hears. Of course Sam wouldn't actually listen to them about the powers. He's rebellious and self-righteous. They should have known that.

There should be a different way to set Lucifer out that doesn't involve humans drinking Demon blood. An archangel blade—Michael and Raphael both have one—would work fine. Did the Seal specify that the person who breaks it must be Lucifer's Vessel?

He knows that Uriel is confronting Sam. He also knows that Uriel—well, as far as he knows—has no clue about the pro-apocalypse stance of the Host General. Very few do. He's the only Garrison Leader than knows and it's only because he's special. Michael's son. Lucifer's son.

Castiel knows more than he should.

He traces Dean to a park bench, where the man is watching children play. Children who could have had their futures taken from them had he been a coward and left. He's brave like Michael, the Righteous Man. The Angel smiles as he materialises next to him. Dean doesn't jump.

"Let me guess you're here for the 'I told you so'." Dean says.

"No."

"Well, good, cause I'm really not that interested."

"I am not here to judge you, Dean."

"Then why are you here?" He asks.

"Our orders—"

Dean interrupts him before he can explain himself, his voice raising. It's not enough to garner suspicion. "Yeah, you know, I've had about enough of these orders of yours –"

"Our orders were not to stop the summoning of Samhain." He says, cutting the hunter off. "They were to do whatever you told us to do."

"Your orders were to follow my orders?" Dean says, incredulous.

"It was a test." Castiel explains. "To see how you would perform under... battlefield conditions, you might say.

"It was a witch, not the Tet Offensive." Dean replies. "So I failed your test. I get it. But you know what? If you would have waved that magic time-traveling wand of yours and we had to do it all over again, I'd make the same call. 'Cause see, I don't know what's gonna happen when these seals are broken, hell I don't even know what's gonna happen tomorrow. But what I do know is, that this, here? These kids, the swings, the trees, all of it is still here because of my brother and me."

Castiel feels tremendous pride in Dean Winchester right then. He tries not to let his smile show.  
"You misunderstand me, Dean, I'm not like you think. I was praying that you would choose to save the town."

Dean looks surprised, but curious. "You were?"

"These people, they're all God's creations. They're works of art, and yet, even though you stopped Samhain, the seal was broken and we are one step closer to hell on earth, for all creation. Now that's not an expression, Dean, it's literal. You of all people should appreciate what that means." Dean looks away as though the words burn him. The angel doesn't blame him. "Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell another soul? I'm not a… hammer as you say. I have questions, I have doubts. I don't know what is right and what is wrong anymore, whether you passed or failed here. But in the coming months you will have more decisions to make. I don't envy the weight that's on your shoulders, Dean. I truly don't." He lets the façade of impassiveness drop for a second to show his true emotions.

He's not sure what to think about the fact it's pity as he leaves.


	5. Anna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains dialogue from 4.09 (I Know What You Did Last Summer) and 4.10 (Heaven And Hell) and also includes a deleted scene from 4.10

One day, a few weeks later, a few Seals later, Zachariah summons him and Uriel—seriously, this new partnership was getting annoying—and hands Uriel a vial of Grace. Castiel knows it's Anna's, he recognises the aura that comes with it.

"Michael wants her dead. Find the girl." Zachariah explains that the human Anna—the human she became after her Fall—had been listening in on Angel radio and now locked in a psychiatric hospital because she claims to hear angels. The Demons want her.

Even if they didn't, the orders would be the same. Kill the girl before she gets her Grace back. If she manages to do so, bring her in to Naomi. She'd deal with the troublesome Rogue Angel. Now, with the apocalypse afoot and the Demons wanting an advantage for the war they couldn't risk her getting caught, especially if she didn't know what was at stake or who she was.

When they trace her, Castiel is concerned that she happens to be with the Winchesters and Ruby. He hadn't met Ruby yet and hadn't wanted to. He's got a feeling that she knows who he is. They both could sell the other out if they so wanted to and he knows that if it came to that the Winchesters would take Ruby's side, or at least Sam. They've known her longer and Sam seems to be in an intimate relationship with her. How sinful.

As he and Uriel enter the cabin that Anna, Ruby, Dean, and Sam have hidden in—likely from Alastair—Dean does not look pleased to see them. "Please tell me you're here to help. We've been having demon issues all day."

Uriel looks at Ruby in disgust. "Well, I can see that. You want to explain why you have that stain in the room?"

Castiel interjects before Sam can come to Ruby's defence. "We're here for Anna."

Dean speaks up. "Here for her like…. here for her?"

"Stop talking. Give her to us." Uriel demands.

Sam looks both concerned and hopeful. "Are you going to help her."

Castiel tries not to display any emotion as he speaks. "No. She has to die."

"You want Anna?" Sam asks in shock. "Why?"

Uriel attempts to bypass the Winchesters. "Out of the way."

Dean intervenes. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Okay, I know she's wiretapping your angel chats or whatever, but it's no reason to gank her!"

Uriel smiles maliciously. "Don't worry, I'll kill her gentle."

"You're some heartless sons of bitches, you know that?"

Castiel thinks of Anna, one of his several caretakers when he was a child. And later, his Garrison Leader, the one who chose him as her second. Then he thinks of Michael's orders and looks at Dean. "As a matter of face, we are. And?"

"And?" Sam is incredulous. "Anna's an innocent girl."

Castiel shakes his head. "She is far from innocent." Falling is one of the worst sins an Angel could commit. He would never dare commit such treason. It hurts him that someone Michael so trusted to watch him in his youth would dare.

Sam and Dean exchange worried looks. Sam looks back at the Angels. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Uriel says. "she's worse than this abomination you've been screwing. Now give us the girl." Castiel looks down in guilt. His glad that Anna doesn't remember what she used to be to him.

Dean and Sam look at each other, having a silent conversation before the older Winchester turns to Uriel with a cocky grin. "Sorry, get yourself another one. Try JDate."

"Who's gonna stop us? You two?" Uriel says, approaching them. "Or this demon whore?" Suddenly, he grabs Ruby by the arm and throws her into a window, glass shattering around her. Uriel reaches up a hand to smite her. Castiel wants to intervene, but he can see what Anna has just crawled away to do and he needs to reach her first.

Dean already jumped into the fray anyway. All he needs to defeat is Sam. Sam pleads with him as he approaches him, calls him Cas. It hardly registers that somehow since the last time he'd talked to the two they'd learned of the occasional nicknames. Maybe they liked it better.

He puts Sam to sleep, but he hasn't quite grabbed Anna when he feels the white-hot pain and he's thrown into a different state, half a country away. Uriel isn't next to him. He's surprised she still remembers the sigil.

He worries that she remembers more than he thought.

Zachariah gives Uriel instructions to enact on his own, to threaten the younger Winchester if Dean didn't give over Anna. It also gives the Angels some traction into Michael's Plan as Uriel makes it sound like Castiel is the more reasonable of the two and he's acting out of his own twisted agenda. Castiel is in fact the more reasonable one, but Uriel makes it sound like it's the Winchesters faults.

He's always been like this. Castiel is reasonable. Uriel is nuts, and he's sure the Winchesters can tell too.

He and Uriel enter the barn that Dean agreed to meet at. Sam moves into a defensive stance to protect Anna, who looks scared. Castiel looks on. "Hello, Anna. It's good to see you."

"How?' Sam asks. "How did you find us?" Castiel says nothing as Sam and Anna both seem to put two and two together and look at Dean, who looks away in shame "Dean?"

Dean looks at Anna. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Sam says.

Anna turns towards the two Angels as if studying them and then looks over at Sam. "Because they gave him a choice. They either kill me... or kill you. I know how their minds work." Castiel looks up at that, realising that she's gotten her memories back somehow. He'd known that Dean somehow found out why they were trying to kill her, but Uriel failed to mention the other thing.

If she manages to escape this time, she'll put a wrench into Heaven's Plan once they reveal to the Winchesters the real reason Dean was brought back. She'll realise exactly what the higher-tier Angels plans were and warn Sam and Dean.

And they'd trust her. Already do, by the way Anna and Dean share an intimate moment. All of Heaven already knows that they've lain together. "You did the best you could." Anna says to Dean. "I forgive you."

Castiel glances down, guilt for what he has to do. Anna's already put a wrench in the plans. He doesn't know how he'll get the Winchesters to warm up to him. He knows he needs to pretend to go against Heaven at some point, but the Vessels have amazing timing. Every time they get involved is a time he has an Order that he actually has to follow, damn the consequences.

"Okay. No more tricks." Anna says stepping up, walking past the Winchesters bravely. Castiel looks up in surprise. "No more running. I'm ready."

"I'm sorry." He says.

He means it. Which makes her reply so much harder. "No. You're not. Not really. You don't know the feeling."

He thinks of her, of Baltazar, of Gabriel. "Still, we have a history. It's just –"

"Orders are orders." She interrupts. "I know. Just make it quick."

Castiel goes to reply, but he's interrupted by another voice as the demons barge in. "Don't you touch a hair on that girl's head!" Alastair demands. Ruby is in between the two demons who flank him, bleeding and injured. She's tossed to the ground like a rag doll. Somehow, Castiel gets the feeling that Alastair doesn't even know that she's on Lilith's side.

Uriel steps forward and walks to the demons. "How dare you come into this room. You pussing sore."

Alastair takes a few steps forward. "Name-calling. That hurt my feelings... You sanctimonious, fanatical prick."

"Turn around and walk away now." Castiel says. He hates Alastair more than Uriel. He tries not to think about the fact that technically Alastair is closer on the family tree than Uriel—Castiel and Alastair have the same Creator. Uriel is just the drunk uncle he doesn't want invited to next year's Thanksgiving.

"Sure. Just give us the girl. We'll make sure she gets punished good and proper."

Castiel walks closer until he's standing next to Uriel. "You know who we are and what we will do. I won't say it again. Leave now or we lay you to waste."

"I think I'll take my chances." Alastair smirks.

It's still for awhile. No one moves. Then Uriel charges the Demon next to him and pushes it against a wall. Castiel takes the distraction as an opportunity to engage in a fight with Alastair. When he manages to get the upper hand, he tries to smite him with his hand, only to find that a white-eyed demon is too powerful for a Seraph.

"Sorry, kiddo." Alastair mocks. "Why don't you go run to daddy?" Castiel is too stunned to react when he thrown across the floor. In the background, he can see that Uriel has managed to smite one of the demons as he feels Alastair's hands grasp his—Jimmy's—throat. Alastair starts to chant and Castiel recognises it as an old "angel exorcism" that he knows hasn't been used since the War.

It burns, but then suddenly Alastair is thrown off him. He realises that Dean has just saved him with a crowbar. Honestly, he'd expected Dean, Sam, Ruby, and Anna to have fled as soon as the Angels and Demons were distracted…

And that's when he realises what had just happened here and he knows Uriel thinks its too. The other Angel isn't stupid. Alastair turns on Dean and Sam and Castiel wants to help, to repay Dean for saving him when he didn't have to, but he's still recovering.

Suddenly, he hears Uriel yell and Anna throws something to the ground. He watches helplessly as her Grace finds its righteous path back into her vessel. Anna falls to the ground and warns the humans to look away. He sees that Dean, Sam, and even Ruby all listen, covering their faces with their arms.

Alastair walks into the light that Anna's grace emits. Castiel knows he's not dead, though. Anna isn't an Archangel. He stands up and walks over to Dean, Sam, and Uriel. Dean's picking the demon-killing knife off of the ground.

"Well, what are you guys waiting for?" Dean says to them. "Go get Anna. Unless, of course, you're scared." He looks over at Uriel. Castiel thinks Dean has too much fun baiting him.

"This isn't over." Uriel says, stepping forward. Castiel grabs his shoulder to stop him.

Dean seems to notice that Uriel has no real power here. "Oh, it looks over to me, junkless."

Castiel forces Uriel to leave, the pair reappearing in a forest. Uriel demands that Sam be killed. "We are not to touch Sam Winchester."

"Why?" Uriel presses.

"When have they ever told me why?" Castiel says, brushing him off.

"But he has that depravity in his blood!" Uriel practically yells, disgusted. "And I suspect that he was the one behind the demons showing up right when they did!"

"What else would you like me to say." He's urging to take his Angel Blade out and kill him but it's technically forbidden to kill another Angel. Is forbidden, without orders.

"I gave an ultimatum." Uriel continues. Castiel turns to him. "Anna's life or Sam's. and Sam still lives."

"Would you like to protest?" Castiel says, knowing that Michael wouldn't allow Sam to be killed, not when the last Seal hasn't broken and Lucifer isn't riding in Sam's body. "Please, by all means."

"Well." Uriel marches off. "At the least I'll go kill that demon whore Ruby."

"Hands off her too." He tells him.

"You're joking!" Uriel exclaims in disbelief.

"I don't joke."

"You mean we can't hunt a demon!" Uriel expresses. "What's going on up there?"

"Clearly they feel she has a part to play." He tells him.

"It's crap. This is crap." Uriel says and then turns on him. "And you—forget about it!"

"You are proposing disobedience." Castiel warns as he walks closer to the other Angel. "Like Anna. And you know what I'll have to do." They stare at each other for a while, both waiting for the other to bow down before Uriel sucks in a breath and walks past him, shoving into Castiel's shoulder. He has to take a breather. Uriel is a problem. "Where are you going?'

"I'm going to go…. kill something." Castiel feels an urge to tell him he's not allowed to do that either and he almost does. Even though he claims that he doesn't joke he still has urges, to be non-professional every so often and frankly, Uriel has always rubbed him the wrong way. Instead, he lets Uriel wander off and waits until the other Angel is gone before punching a tree in a very mature way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I might not be able to make another update for a few weeks (months more likely). Yay *sarcasm* I hate uni. Bleh. Next chapter will be an adaption of 4.15 and 4.16, I think. It will be titled "On The Head Of A Pin" just as episode 4.16 is.


	6. Death Takes A Holiday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter covers parts of "Death Takes A Holiday (4.15) and "On the Head of a Pin" (4.16) as well as extra dialogue from an extended scene from 4.16. I also had to cut 4.16 in half because it was getting too long so I changed by mind. NEXT chapter will be called "On the Head of a Pin" this one is "Death Takes A Holiday"

Castiel teaches Dean the Angel banishing sigil that Anna had used on them a few days after that. Zachariah having Uriel threaten Sam was a bad idea. He should have known that the other Angel would get suspicious when Castiel wouldn't let him, even after he was "debriefed" about the ultimatum and Anna still lived.

So he shows it to Dean, tells him that it was in return for saving him from Alastair, that they aren't actively hunting to kill Anna anymore. He even lets Dean try it out, knowing he doesn't completely trust him. Even though it hurts physically to be banished.

It's about a month later when they encounter a problem. A reaper in a Wyoming town is missing and no one there is dying. Michael is certain it's another Seal about to be broken. Something about using Reapers as a sacrifice on a Solstice.

Reapers are a different breed of Angel, they can be killed a few ways other than an Archangel smiting or Angel Blades. They can't be seen at all by living eyes without a Vessel, though they can walk the Earth. And their wings never burn or damage.

They're still Angels. There's already been 6 Angel deaths and no one wants anymore.

Michael still wants this Seal saved for sure. Besides, they do have to look like they're trying to save Seals, which is something the higher-ups have started failing at.

When they find the location—, Uriel, Rachel, Ariel, Inias, Hester, and himself—the group of Angels discover that whoever it was, they were good.

"Angel Warding." Castiel mutters. "Who would know—" There has to be a traitor, a so-called Lucifer loyalist within either his ranks or someone else's. No. He's a Lucifer Loyalist and he'd never do this—kill an Angel without orders—unless in self-defense, maybe.

The Angel Warding Symbols must be someone old, like Alastair or Lilith or a Prince of Hell. He wasn't sure when the Wards were crafted—whether it was before or after the War—but he can't see anyone from the Host giving this kind of information to Demons.

He knows exactly who he needs to contact. He calls the Winchesters, specifically Sam, and pretends to be that Hunter, Bobby. They don't take orders from Angels. Honestly, he doesn't think that they take orders from anyone, at least not anymore. However, if they think this is a Hunt they might come and investigate.

Which they do, just in time for a second Reaper to be kidnapped. There's nothing anyone can do for the first Reaper, but Dean and Sam manage to save the second Reaper, effectively stopping the seal from being broken. Tessa, she seems to go by in this day and age.

He goes to congratulate Dean, commend him for a job well done and reveal himself as the one who'd ordered them here. However, when he finds the Righteous Man he's preoccupied. Alastair is threatening him.

He thinks of the six fallen Angels, thinks of Michael's Vessel being thrown back into Hell by the white-eyed Demon and immediately uses all the Power in his Grace to capture Alistair. Inias and Hester help.

"What the Hell?" Dean asks in shock as he watches Alistair disappear.

"Guess again." He says with amusement.

Dean spins around to face him. "What just happened?"

"What just happened? He repeats, as if he needs to make sure that's what Dean just asked. "You and Sam just saved a Seal. We captured Alastair. Dean, this was a victory."

"Well, no thanks to you."

He's confused. "What makes you say that?"

He can sense anger and betrayal coming off the Vessel. "You were here the whole time."

"Enough of it." He feels guilty, even though there's very little he could have done.

"Well, thanks for your help with the rock salt."

"That script on the funeral home." He explains "We couldn't penetrate it."

He feels the anger deflate from Dean, the Hunter's eyes softening as he understands. "That was Angel-proofing."

"Why do you think I recruited you and Sam in the first place?"

Dean looks confused. "You recruited us?"

"That wasn't your friend Bobby who called, Dean. It wasn't Bobby who told Sam about the seal."

"That was you." Dean says. Castiel feels the human's anger spike up again. "If you want our help, why the hell didn't you just ask?"

He wonders whether the Vessel is even self-aware at this point of how frustrating he can be. "Because whatever I ask, you seem to do the exact opposite." No wonder he apparently is too strong-willed in the future even for Father, he thinks.

Dean doesn't refute the accusation though. "So, what now, huh? The people in this town, they just gonna start dying again?"

"Yes."

Dean expresses his disbelief. "These are good people. What, you think you can make a few exceptions?"

"To everything there is a season." Castiel replies. He sincerely feels bad that he can't resurrect the souls in the town. Michael refuses for an Angel do to a resurrection without orders. It's strictly forbidden.

"You made an exception for me." Dean points out. He reeks of self-pity and survivor's guilt. And shame, tons of it. Castiel wants to tell him how beautiful, how righteous his soul is. How deserving he is of salvation, Destiny or not.

He doesn't though. Instead, he looks Dean into the eye, into his soul, and says the words, makes sure their full of meaning. "You're different."

It's only a day later that Castiel finds the vessel of an Angel—wings burnt into the ground—amidst a car accident. He knows like all the others that Abiel's death was by Angel blade, but he still has no clue which Demon managed to get their hands on one of those.

Alastair won't talk, won't tell them which Demon is murdering Castiel's Garrison. Zachariah suggests that they sic Dean on him. Castiel thinks it's meant as a joke, but then Michael orders it, thinks that because he was trained by Alastair himself, the master torturer, that somehow Dean will persuade the Demon to reveal the name.

Castiel doesn't like this plan. He's read Dean's soul, touched it with his bare hands. He's seen what Dean did in Hell. He's seen how ashamed he felt when he came back, how unworthy of salvation he feels because of it.

Michael orders Zachariah to demote Castiel to Uriel's inferior. He wishes that the Archangel had chosen someone else to replace him, someone he can stand working under. It's part of the Plan, Michael assures him when they're alone. The Plan to pretend to Fall.

He feels shamed. Zachariah tells the Angels in the Garrison that Castiel's starting to become attached—too attached—to the "pesky Winchesters."

Uriel likes Zachariah's Plan. Of course, he would. He doesn't care about Dean's well-being. Why should he? The ends always justify the means with the Angels, mind-controlled by Naomi.

They're waiting for Sam and Dean when the pair arrive. Neither is particularly happy to see them. "Winchester and Winchester." Uriel greets.

"Oh, come on!" Dean says, indignant.

"You are needed." Uriel tells him coldly.

"Needed? We just got back from needed?" Castiel can feel the grief coming off the pair of boys. It's overwhelming.

Uriel doesn't seem to care. "Now, you mind your damn tone with me."

Dean wastes no time in replying. "No, you mind your damn tone with us."

"We just got back from Pamela's funeral." Sam adds in. Castiel knows that the psychic died only a few days ago, helping Sam and Dean save the Reaper Tessa and the Seal. He doesn't think that Dean is going to be very interested in helping Angels right now.

Sure enough, Dean explodes. "Pamela. You know, psychic Pamela? You remember her." He turns to Castiel specifically. "Cas, you remember her. You burned her eyes out. Remember that? Good times. Yeah, then she died saving one of your precious seals. So maybe you can stop pushing us around like chess pieces for five freaking minutes!"

"We raised you out of hell for our purposes." Uriel says. Castiel wonders whether Uriel even knows what those purposes even are. They have—had—nothing to do with torturing Alastair.

"Yeah, what were those again? What exactly did you want from me?"

"Start with gratitude." Uriel says. Castiel doesn't want that. Uriel doesn't either, not really. He just wants the petulant Winchester at his mercy.

He realises that he should probably intervene, play the mediator. "Dean, we know this is difficult to understand—"

Uriel interrupts him and tells the other Angel to "shut up" with his eyes. "And we don't care." Castiel knows that he will smite this arrogant prick once he's in charge of his Garrison again. He almost doesn't care that he's his Uncle. An Angel. And that Angels are not supposed to kill other Angels. "Now, seven angels have been murdered, all of them from our garrison. The last one was killed tonight."

Dean seems to know, at least partly, where they're going with this. "Demons? How they doing it?"

"We don't know." Uriel said.

Sam speaks up. "I'm sorry, but what do you want us to do about it? I mean, a demon with the juice to ice angels has to be out of our league, right?"

Uriel's disgusted at the notion that they would ever need Sam's help. "We can handle the demons, thank you very much."

Castiel amends his statement. "Once we find who it is."

"So you need our help hunting a demon?" Dean says, incredulous.

Oh, Father. He doesn't understand why he's being forced to do this. "Not quite. We have Alastair."

"Great." Dean is impatient. "He should be able to name your trigger man."

"But he won't talk. Alastair's will is very strong. We've arrived at an impasse." He can only hope that Uriel doesn't butt in again. He can't have the clueless sack of dicks ruining Michael's plan. He wonders how Lilith and Ruby managed to pull this off on the Demon's end.

Dean doesn't seem to be surprised that Alastair isn't breaking. "Yeah, well, he's like a black belt in torture. I mean, you guys are out of your league."

"That's why we've come to his student." Uriel says. Castiel grits his teeth. "You happen to be the most qualified interrogator we've got."

Castiel can feel his shame, his self-hatred. "Dean? You're are only hope." He's glad that he's not brainwashed by Naomi to only follow orders without question like the other Angels are. He at least can feel sympathy for the humans, know what they're feeling. Very few of the other Angels care.

"No. No way. You can't ask me to do this, Cas. Not this." He pleads. If it were up to Castiel, he wouldn't have to. It's Michael's orders, though. He won't betray Michael.

Uriel gets in Dean's face. "Who said anything about asking." And all three of them head off.

Castiel double checks the devil's trap—it's Old Enochian, created by Michael himself, strong enough to hold Lilith—and the binds holding the Demon in place before meeting Dean and Uriel outside of the torture chamber.

Dean is anxious. "This devil's trap is old Enochian. He's bound completely." Castiel reassures him. Castiel knows that's not what Dean is scared of. Dean knows it too, knows it too well. The human attempts to leave, but Uriel blocks his way.

"Angels are dying, boy." Uriel hisses.

"Everybody's dying these days. And hey, I get it. You're all-powerful. You can make me do whatever you want. But you can't make me do this." Dean's pleading with his eyes, tears forming.

"This is too much to ask, I know. But we have to ask it." Castiel makes sure to emphasise the word "I." He's read his soul, he knows exactly what Dean did in Hell, what he enjoyed doing in Hell. What Dean's scared he'll become if he goes back to that. Castiel knows it all. And he cares too much yet simultaneously not enough.

Dean looks at him for a few seconds and then looks back at Uriel. "I want to talk to Cas alone."

Everyone is stunned. Uriel doesn't know what to say for a few seconds. Castiel relishes the awkward silence that had fallen. "I think I'll go seek revelation. We might have some further orders."

"Well, get some donuts while you're out." Dean mocks.

"Ah, this one just won't quit, will he?" Uriel says, a glimmer in his eye and looks up. "Heaven help us! I think I'm starting to like you, boy." Castiel is just as creeped out by this as he assumes Dean to be.

Uriel flies off. Dean watches him and then turns back to Castiel. "You guys don't walk enough. You're gonna get flabby." Castiel tries not to roll his vessel's eyes and shows no reaction, no indication that the human is getting under his skin. Dean sighs. "You know, I'm starting to think junkless has a better sense of humour than you do."

"Uriel's the funniest angel in the garrison. Ask anyone." He deadpans.

Dean steps forward, almost concerned. "What's going on, Cas? Since when does Uriel put a leash on you?"

"I, uh…" He says, trying to figure out how to word the lie he's about to spout. "My superiors have begun to question my sympathies." It's not technically a lie. Zachariah does. Michael knows this is bigger than just that, though.

"Your sympathies?"

"I was getting too close to the humans in my charge." He explained. "You. They feel I've begun to express emotions. The doorways to doubt. This can impair my judgment."

"So they knock you down the ladder and they put Uriel in charge?"

Castiel can't exactly say that he doesn't like it either, that Uriel is a pompous dick. He must act like a good obedient soldier so that His "Fall" can look more believable. "He is a proud and able instrument of God." He says it like he's stating a fact but secretly means it as an insult.

"The demotion." Dean states. "Don't it get your loincloth in a twist?"

Castiel turns, but he doesn't even bother hiding the irritation on his face. "It is what… is to be."

Dean walks away and turns so that the Angel can't see his face. Castiel won't tell him that he can still sense his emotions. "Well, tell Uriel, or whoever...you do not want me doing this, trust me."

"Want it? No." He says, guilt on his face. "But I've been told we need it."

"Cas… the things that I did… The things I became… you ask me to open that door and walk through it, you will not like what walks back out." His voice is shaky. He's still holding back tears and shame.

"You know what we're all fighting for, dying for, what Pamela lost her life for. You know what will happen if we fail." He's quiet for a few seconds. "For what it's worth, I would give anything not to have you do this."

He's telling the truth, too. Which makes the deceit far more painful.


End file.
